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FYS Classes with descriptions and instructor bios for fall 2026

Eating in East Asia (Min Zhou    ) FYS 101.01
Course description: How have the production and consumption of food such as rice and ramen shaped national, personal and gender identities? How did tea culture reflect East Asian aesthetics and religion and lead to wars between China and the United Kingdom? Why does traditional Chinese medicine believe that food is nature and harmony with nature leads to healthy and balanced lives? Why are French or Japanese restaurants so expensive, while Thai, Chinese or Korean restaurants much more affordable even if they are located in the same city/region? In this course, we will explore these questions and discuss various social and historical aspects of food culture in China, Japan, and Korea. We will also provide our own food for thought by presenting our pick of topics surrounding an East Asian dish and sharing our own experiences of researching and making it. Join us for delicious intellectual adventures. 
Bio: Prof. Min Zhou (she/her) is a professor of modern languages and literatures and general education. She grew up in Wuhan, China, studied at Beijing University and die Freie Universität in Berlin, Germany, and received her Ph.D. in German Studies from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She is interested in a comparative approach to both Eastern and Western cultures and societies and centered her research and teaching around the East-West theme. She loved traveling (wrote her dissertation about German travel literature (1945-1990s), enjoys cooking (when she has time), trying different cuisines, jogging and other outdoor activities. Helping and watching students grow in a span of four years at college is one of the most rewarding experiences in her professional life.
Why Identity Matters (Diane Finch) FYS 101.02, FYS 101.05, FYS 101.15
Course description: What an optimum time for college freshmen to study the importance of identity formation and development as they transition from adolescence to young adulthood. The seminar creates a laboratory for questioning and evaluating the complexity of their multiple identities through the lenses of culture, gender, social media, and race. Assigned readings, group exercises, classroom experiences, discussion forums, and self-reflections provide students with opportunities to examine the importance of identity to their way of being, understanding, and relating to the world. Additionally, the seminar integrates community engagement opportunities and ������Դ campus resources to support students in exploring identity issues and challenges and to take actionable steps to address them.
Bio: A lifelong educator, Professor Finch was the director of counseling for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Maryland, and an assistant professor at Loyola University of Maryland. Her research focused on the post-deployment adjustment of wounded warriors of the Afghanistan and Iraqi Wars. A licensed clinical counselor, she serves clients with substance abuse, depression, and complicated grief diagnoses. Before teaching in the CORE program at Roger Williams, Dr. Finch spent one year living and working with Lakota Sioux middle school girls in South Dakota. As a spouse of a retired U.S. Navy veteran, she lived in multiple states on the West and East Coasts and in Naples, Italy. In addition to teaching a ROG 101 seminar, Professor Finch is on the Board of Trustees at Framingham State University and the Advisory Board for the Danforth Museum of Art.
Monsters in Fiction, Film, Myth, and Fact (Beazley Kanost) FYS 101.03, FYS 101.06

Monsters in Fiction, Film, Myth, and Fact: what do they do for us? Beazley Kanost, MFA, PhD, encourages students to develop their own thinking by making connections between diverse yet related written and visual texts. Her research focused on Coolness, a stillness in someone's behavior that observers find surprising, has led her to make connections between avant-garde films, fiction, and poetry from the 1950s and 1960s. She loves science fiction, from Asimov to William Gibson, from The Matrix to The Expanse, from Philip K. Dick to Octavia Butler and she loves making books out of junk. Her teaching focuses on Literature, Film Studies, and Writing Studies (creative, academic, and professional), often with History and Philosophy mixed in.

Bio: Beazley Kanost, MFA, PhD, encourages students to develop their own thinking by making connections between diverse yet related written and visual texts. Her research focused on Coolness, a stillness in someone’s behavior that observers find surprising, has led her to make connections between avant-garde films, fiction, and poetry from the 1950s and 1960s. She loves science fiction, from Asimov to William Gibson, from The Matrix to The Expanse, from Philip K. Dick to Octavia Butler and she loves making books out of junk. Her teaching focuses on Literature, Film Studies, and Writing Studies (creative, academic, and professional), often with History and Philosophy mixed in.

Mama, I made it (to college)! What now? (Shelia Almeida) FYS 101.04

Description: Congratulations! You made it to Roger ������Դ! Now what? This First-Year Seminar is a space to reflect on how college can transform your life. Together, we’ll explore how education, environment, and identity shape our futures. Using personal narrative, interviews, readings, and media, students will dive into the question: How does college shape one’s life trajectory—and what role do *you* play in that journey? This course is especially meaningful for first-generation college students. We will create a classroom community grounded in mutual respect, reflection, and honesty. We’ll celebrate the resilience that brought us here and explore how to thrive in and beyond college.

Bio: Sheila Almeida

Language and the Good Life (Dong-Hoon Lee) FYS 101.07    
Course description: What can I do to become happier? How can I get along better with other people? Can I ever find the Good Life? This course examines these questions and many more as related to various aspects of language use – because words can destroy lives and save lives; words can hurt, and words can heal. One factor consistently associated with a happy and meaningful life is healthy inter-personal relationships. This course offers ways for people to improve their inter-personal relationships, thereby enriching not only their own lives but also that of others – through more thoughtful and empathetic use of language. Through readings/viewings, discussions, team presentations, and writing assignments, students will learn and share complex ideas and feelings about language use. Topics include body language, DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), ethical living, language disorders, leadership, mental/emotional health, professional communication, romantic relationships, self-identity, social media, and more.
Bio: Prof. Dong-Hoon “Don” Lee is an Associate Professor in the department of Modern Languages, Philosophy, and Classics. Currently, his main areas of academic interest are practical philosophy, sociolinguistics, TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), and writing for academic purposes. He has extensive experience teaching at the college level in the United States and South Korea. He received his Ph.D. in Foreign Language Education from Ohio State University. He is a firm believer in living according to the Golden Rule: Striving to treat others the same way he would want others to treat him – with kindness, honesty, integrity, and other universal virtues.
Living the Common Good (Donald Holder) FYS 101.08

Course description: No description available

Bio: Donald Holder

Guns Robots Sex in America (Jiyoon Im) FYS 101.09, FYS 101.14
Course description: How many days can you go without hearing about another gun shooting? Will you find work when you graduate in 2027, or will robots take your job? If we live in a time of sexual freedom, why are young people fleeing relationships? In this seminar, we will examine three complex issues in contemporary America: gun violence, artificial intelligence, and sex. We will ask questions such as: Is gun ownership a basic American freedom protected by the Constitution? Is AI bringing progress or making people poorer, unhappier, and worse off? Why are Gen Z-ers having less sex and feeling more isolated in our age of social media and unprecedented sexual equality? By exploring these three big questions together, we will become more informed, engaged citizens and advocates in our shared and personal lives.
Bio: Prof. Jiyoon Im teaches courses in political theory and general education. She grew up in South Korea and New Jersey and spent much of her youth studying music in NYC. As a college freshman, she became hooked on political theory because it challenged her assumptions and showed her more questions than answers. In her classes, she introduces different perspectives to provoke student thought and conversation. She especially enjoys teaching college freshmen, as they’re energetic and enthusiastic. Her classes consist of discussions and interactive lectures to promote student-centered active learning. Assignments include group projects so students can make friends and feel comfortable talking to each other openly. She is most proud of her students when they are discussing an issue they care about and do not notice that class is over (this has really happened!).
Visual Thinking: Style & Substance (Maya Stern) FYS 101.10, FYS 101.35

Course description: How do artists navigate their practice? Visual Thinking - Style & Substance aims to offer an introductory approach to the ways artists work. Through a combination of lectures, workshops, discussions, site visits, and studio-based projects, students will be encouraged to engage in an arts practice grounded in individual expression, experimentation, innovation, and material exploration.

Bio: Maya Stern

Animals on Screen (Lori Lee Wallace) FYS 101.11

Course description: Why do we cry when Bambi's mom dies? Why do villains stroke cats? Why do we cast animals in our human dramas? This course examines the roles animals play in film and media-from The Black Stallion to BoJack Horseman. Through a mix of video analysis, group discussions, and creative application, students will unpack how our portrayals of animals reflect our own anxieties, ethics, and identities.

Bio: Lori Lee Wallace

Eating Humans (James Verinis    ) FYS 101.12, FYS 101.13 (Allison Chase Padula, .13), FYS 101.36
Course description: If you would like to explore human diet beyond the biological necessity of eating and the popular logic of nutritional science, to get a glimpse of our primordial, ethical, symbolic, and aesthetic natures, then we will ALL benefit from your involvement in this course. Anthropological in essence, this course is an historical, multi-disciplinary, as well as cross cultural examination of such “banal” practices as planting, shopping, gleaning, cooking, sharing, hoarding, storing, tasting, wasting, plating, binging, and fasting from food. We critique the evolution, diversity, as well as the devolution of our species' phenomenal adaptive subsistence capabilities, from collective hunting to in-vitro meat production and back. We challenge the simplistic notions that you eat what tastes good or is good for you. In other words, yes, we grill vegans as well as cannibals to expose the meat of the matter.
Bio: Prof. James Verinis is a cultural anthropologist with an M.A. from the New School for Social Research and a Ph.D. from SUNY Binghamton. His early career fieldwork and publications were concerned with Greek rural life and identity in the aftermath of the post-socialist period when the first, mostly Albanian migrants arrived in Greece en masse. The resulting focus on agrarian values, which framed how Greek farmers as well as “their” Albanians tried to secure a future for themselves in the widening European Union and deepening global economy, set up his longstanding attention to cultural ecology and environmental anthropology. Current research interests include Indigenous American food sovereignty initiatives as well as multispecies ethnographic methods. He currently lives in Rhode Island with his family and other animals.
Bio: Allison Chase Padula
Can You Dig It? Archaeology (Alan Leveillee) FYS 101.16, FYS 101.18
Course description: Can You Dig It? Exploring New England's Past. Want to combine forensic science and time travel? Archaeology today is like having a modern Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson living in the real world and applying today's scientific methods, technologies, and deductive powers to decipher long-faded layers of times past. Join our research team as we peel back and explore the fascinating subject of New England Archaeology. Archaeology is the scientific study of the past. Artifacts, sites, and communities result from and reflect human cultures in time. This class will explore 13,000 years of New England's peoples, places, and things, focusing on Indigenous "First Peoples". This course will be temporally far-reaching. Using archaeological and anthropological data, we'll span between the initial peopling of the continent and the efforts of today's indigenous peoples to preserve and protect their histories and heritage.
Bio: Prof. Alan Leveillee is an Anthropologist, Archaeologist, and Educator with more than thirty years of experience in cultural resources management and teaching in New England.  He is Senior Archaeologist and Educational Programs Director Emeritus of The Public Archaeology Laboratory and has been Adjunct Faculty at Roger ������Դ for the past 18 years.   He has also taught at Bridgewater State, Rhode Island College, and the University of Rhode Island. He is the author of the book An Old Place, Safe and Quiet, and numerous publications in professional and academic journals. 
Curiosity in the Complex World (Haley Lott) FYS 101.17
Course description: Some questions are worth pursuing even when the answers are uncertain. This seminar explores the practice of asking thoughtful questions, following ideas from multiple angles, and discovering the satisfaction that comes from investigating complicated problems. Along the way, we will explore why people believe certain ideas, who gets to count as an expert, and how we decide what information to trust in a world filled with media, data, and algorithms. Through unusual case studies, discussion, and hands-on activities, the course examines how knowledge is created, how experts investigate puzzling problems, and how technologies like AI are reshaping the way we encounter information.

Bio: Haley Lott

Echoes of Africa (Anthony Hollingsworth) FYS 101.19, FYS 101.31
Course description: How The cradle of Humankind changed the Roman World Description: Few people know how much Africa influenced the beginnings of Western civilization. In this course, you'll dive into the rich African contributions to Western history. We'll explore the lives and works of three influential African figures who shaped the Roman Empire and beyond: Augustine: Discover the ideas of this theologian and philosopher whose thoughts on God and morality still resonate today. Terence: Meet the African playwright whose comedies have inspired writers for centuries, including Shakespeare. Apuleius: Learn about his novel "The Metamorphoses," which includes the first-ever fairy tale and remains a classic. You'll engage with primary sources like art and archaeological findings and join discussions that reveal the intricate cultural interactions of the ancient world. Get ready for a fascinating journey through history that highlights Africa's lasting impact on Western civilization.
Bio: Prof. Anthony Hollingsworth is a professor of classical languages (Latin and Ancient Greek), Italian and German. Scholarly passions include ancient theater, classical mythology, and medieval philosophy. Prof. Hollingsworth studied Latin as an undergraduate in Texas and as a graduate student at Brown University and in Germany. He has won ������Դ’s Excellence in Teaching award and has been recognized as the “professor of the semester”. Dr. Hollingsworth’s passion outside of the classroom includes playing the violin (he is a 2nd violinist for the Warwick Symphony Orchestra), woodworking, and leading students to Greece and Germany. Dr. Hollingsworth has published both books and articles on ancient theater, Roman mythology, and Latin grammar. Currently, he is working on a new commentary on a collection of medieval Latin stories that Shakespeare, Milton, and many other famous writers read when writing their own masterpieces.
Revealing Power, Privilege, and Supremacy (Michelle Valletta) FYS 101.20, FYS 101.22
Course description: Society seems to be unsettled by culture wars, political polarization, and social upheaval. Are you? How do we understand this environment? Overall, this First Year Seminar (FYS) informs students about issues related to race relations, social justice, power, and privilege. We will investigate the historical roots of how we arrived at this flashpoint, examines the present indicators, and explores ideas about what we can do now and going forward. To accomplish this exploration, we will consult a wide range of sources including historical and contemporary case studies, cartoons, documentaries, commercials, film, music, and other visual arts. It is an active learning course rather than lecture, with presentations, projects, and short writing assignments rather than exams. 
Bio: Professor Valletta has taught History and General Education courses at Roger ������Դ since 2014 after spending 25 years in the business industry, earning her BA and MA in History and online teaching certification. Her research focuses on social and cultural history because it is so interesting to study why people do what they do.  Her teaching strives to achieve academic excellence and add a dose of fun, intrigue, and revelation to learning. Outside the classroom, she has worked on local public history projects such as the North Burial Ground Project and the State House Tour Guide Program. In her spare time, she is a contributing writer for American National Biography and Schlager Publications, and loves gardening, cooking, binge streaming, and playing with her goldendoodle Beau. For more information, please feel free to look her up on Linkedin.com.
Climate Change and Future ������Դ (Kenneth Presley) FYS 101.21, FYS 101.25, FYS 101.39
Course description: Climate Change and the Future of your ������Դ campus: Would you like to determine the impact of sea level rise and climate change on the future of your ������Դ campus?  We will examine the consequences to the ������Դ coastline, invite guest speakers, and attend field trips to local environmental organizations. We will explore the possible physical, economic, and social impacts of a 1 to 4-foot sea level rise through hands-on classroom and campus wide activities. In addition, we will canvass the attitudes of ������Դ students toward this issue and research the misinformation of climate change in the media and the general public.  By the end of the class, we will be able to predict which areas of campus will be affected and possibly make recommendations about future ������Դ construction sites.
Bio: Kenneth Presley

Food, Examined (Kerri Warren) FYS 101.23

Course description: What does food reveal about culture, identity, power and health? This course invites you to explore what we eat and why we eat it. Through reading, discussion, community engagement and reflective writing, we'll probe the essence of nutrition, the determinants of hunger, the future of food and food technology, and the forces shaping what ends up on our plates.

Bio: Kerri Warren
The Italian American Experience (Karen Abbondanza) FYS 101.24, FYS 101.33, FYS 101.37

The course examines literary, cinematic, and critical works on the experience of Italian Americans in order to investigate the many facets of their identity. The first part of the course includes readings on theories of race, ethnicity, and identity formation in the United States. The second part explores novels, films, and popular culture as evidence of the many forms of Italian-American cultural expression and their representation. Particular attention is given to the construction of internal and external stereotypes, interethnic relations between Italians and other minorities in the US, and religious, family, and gender identity.  

Bio: Karen Abbondanza

Capturing History (Beth Shinn) FYS 101.26, FYS 101.27, FYS 101.29
Course description: Capturing History: What does an image portray? There are many types of images to explore and understand in order to interpret history. We will be exploring themes and choosing topics to explore while balancing 'history in images, and images in history'. Come join the conversation and research to learn how visuals impact our daily lives and our understanding of the past.
Bio: Prof. Beth Shinn has taught courses in History and General Education at ������Դ for many years. After high school, she lived in Mexico (1 year), Japan (18 years), and Scotland (7 years) and traveled through Central America, across America, Singapore, Egypt and Israel, and China. The visual aspect of the landscape as well as historical and cultural images have always intrigued her, which is why she has always wanted to teach a class on how images create interpretations in understanding our own and world history.
Is There a Right Way? Christine Haverington) FYS 101.28
Course description: Can AI help us personally, and human society in general, to know right from wrong? Can AI help us with our decision-making, problem-solving, to fix the problems we create when we make the wrong choice? This seminar takes a multi-leveled dive into these ageless and elemental human questions. Our goals are to emerge more aware of the origins and influences on our personal values and behavioral principles, more aware of the relationship between our personal principles and local and global societal behavioral norms, and more confident in exploring, confirming or changing our answers. Participants will design your own original collaborative thought experiments to test the value of AI in assisting human decision-making, and work in teams in collaboration with ChatGPT AI to develop solutions to significant current problems.
Bio: Prof. Christine Haverington holds a PhD and MA in English from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a BA in English from Williams College. She is a specialist in Medieval Studies, the history and development of English language and literature, and Writing Studies. Prof. Haverington has taught at the university undergraduate and graduate levels, including interdisciplinary courses in Literature and Philosophy. She is certified in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) by the University of Toronto, Canada. She has published and lectured on a variety of topics and founded the Bioedumimicry Association for Biologically Inspired Educational Systems and Practices in 2017. Her teaching philosophy centers on education as a mutual teaching-learning experience based upon collaboration rather than competition. To further the collaborative approach, she employs her training in Marshall Rosenberg’s Non-Violent Communication method. Prof. Haverington believes in equal and open access to education, and in empowering students over and through technology.
1st Byte: Decoding the Digital Universe (Vani Gupta) FYS 101.30

Course description: Ever wonder how a bunch of bytes ended up running the world? Peel back the digital onion in this high-level tour of the computing universe. Layer by layer, we will see how binary data and instructions, paired with physical hardware, power cutting-edge applications like AI, data science, and graphics while fueling the global networks connecting us all. Throughout this course, we will bridge the gap between how it works and why it matters, ending with a high-level big picture of the field. By the time we are done, you'll have gained a map of the computing landscape and a deeper understanding of the technologies that fundamentally shape our daily lives.

Bio: Vani Gupta

The Commons: Land, Power, and Public Good (Jennifer Pearce) FYS 101.32

Course description: Public ownership of land is not simply a way to share resources, but a way of organizing relationships among people, institutions, and the environment. From the emergence of early civilizations to the restructuring of land and power under colonialism and capitalism and continuing to modern debates around environmental stewardship, this course examines how societies have navigated tensions between hierarchy and equality, competition and cooperation, and short- and long-term planning. Grounded in historical evidence and real-world examples, it invites students to see the commons as an ongoing process and embrace their role in shaping how we live together.

Bio: Jennifer Pearce

Living Mindfully: Tools for the Modern Student (Deborah Knapman) FYS 101.34

Course description: Tools for the Modern Student In this interactive seminar, you will be learning about the different aspects of mindfulness. We know that the practice of mindfulness in its various forms can support social, academic, and emotional well-being. Together, we will explore the science and history of mindfulness practice. We will examine the philosophies and cultures that lead to its development along with results from recent medical studies that explore the mind-body connection. We will apply these principles through meditation, journaling, and movement to help you develop your own personal practice. This course helps students foster deeper connections with others, improve attention, and reduce stress, all in a supportive community.

Bio: Deborah Knapman

Horse: The Original American Influencer (Dirk Fogg) FYS 101.38

Course description: From the cowboy to The Kentucky Derby the horse is a symbol of freedom, independence, resilience and adventure woven into the fabric of the American culture. "Saddle-up" and explore the horse-human relationship through the exploration of a new continent to modern America. We will hit the trail to uncover the horse's influence in literature, art, film, and modern media as it relates to the Native Americans, European settlers, and enslaved peoples. Examine the role the horses played in westward expansion, industrialization, urban development, and the modern political landscape. Learn how the horse has become a critical symbol and influence on America.

Bio: Dirk Fogg

What is Wellness? (Andrew Staroscik) FYS 101.40

Course description: The Science of Wellness This class will study current research topics in health and wellness as a practical and engaging context to delve into the practice and philosophy of science, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of how science as a way of knowing enriches our knowledge of the world.

Bio: Andrew Staroscik